Packaging construction

ABSTRACT

For the shipping and possible return of an ordered item and an optional insert, a packaging construction is provided in which the primary item to be packaged can be transported at all times without belong damaged, regardless of whether the packaging houses an insert or whether such insert was removed. Z-shaped flaps, which envelop the item to be packaged, are for this purpose provided on the packaging construction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a packaging construction, in particular a folded box made from a punched-out blank for housing therein one or more primary items to be packaged and one or more secondary, optional inserts for the item to be packaged, whereby the packaging construction is comprised, of a cover and side flaps folded from a base surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] When mailing packages, in particular printed matters and sound carriers, inserts are often added to the items requested by the customer, which inserts are mailed with the packaged item to the customer without any charge, and which inserts will remain with the customer even when the requested item(s) are returned in their packaging for whatever reasons, for example, if they initially had been ordered merely for viewing. These inserts are used as advertisements or as a reward for an order and are usually not requested by the customer.

[0003] If this insert is supposed to be removed and the ordered, primary item in the package is supposed to be returned to the sender, open spaces remain in the packaging which must be filled by the customer with filler material of paper or plastic in order to avoid damage to the packaging during the return mailing, which damage can otherwise not be avoided due to rough handling during shipping. A packaging construction which is solely adjusted to the primary item to be packaged and returned, and which eliminates such damage during transport even without any filler material is in most cases not available. Instead, the use of the original packaging by the return sender is obvious and natural.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The purpose of the invention is to provide a packaging construction of the type described in detail above so that the same packaging is available both for shipping and also for the possible return of the primary packaged item ordered by a customer from a mail-order house, and assures on both transport routes that the packaging material is not damaged by rough handling during transport regardless of whether or not an optional insert not ordered with the primary item has been removed.

[0005] The purpose is attained according to the invention by flaps which overlap one another, envelop the item to be packaged and form a packaging space, being fastened on the base surface, and at least one open space for the insert being provided between the packaging space and the cover and side flaps. The primary item to be packaged is thus housed within the entire packaging construction in a separate packaging space exactly adjusted to the respective object, which packaging space is maintained when the insert is removed; which packaging space solely remains empty during a return shipment, however, must thereby not be cushioned with a filler material because the flaps sufficiently protect the primary item to be packaged even if and when the packaging is dented or otherwise deformed during transport in the area of the open space formed due to the removal of the insert.

[0006] It is thereby particularly advantageous when a pair of Z-shaped flaps are formed which include a web extending perpendicular with respect to the base surface, and two flat surfaces, the one flat surface of which is fastened to the base surface and the other flat surface of which is constructed to overlap the corresponding other flat surface of the respective other flap. Such flaps can be very easily manufactured and can be easily handled in order to be able to be oriented in a packaging line together with the item to be packaged and to be mounted thereafter to the packaging construction. The flaps can be connected, for example, can be glued, to the base surface and/or at the flat surfaces form an overlapped section when they overlap one another, so that the item to be packaged is already early on stationarily held in the packaging construction prior to the insert being inserted and the packaging being closed. The entire process of the packaging is thus very safe and hardly susceptible to breakdown by an otherwise possibly sliding item to be packaged.

[0007] The edges of the flat surfaces resting on the base surface are in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention flush with each edge of the base surface; the packing is thus constructed well reinforced and offers little risk regarding deformation during transport.

[0008] The final closing of the packaging construction can occur in a simple manner by the cover and/or side flaps terminating in additional foldable flaps which are fastened, preferably glued, to the base surface.

[0009] It is best because of the mostly used inserts when the open spaces are designed in a flat square-shape; at the same time it is thereby guaranteed that possible damage during transport can result only in relatively minute changes in the shape of the packaging.

[0010] The packaging of the invention offers as a whole both during the original shipping and also during the return a handling without any problems and without requiring additional fillers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] One exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter in connection with the drawing. FIG. 1 illustrates a packaging construction according to the invention in a schematically simplified, three-dimensional isometric illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] A punched-out blank 1, for example of corrugated paper or cardboard, is already bent upwardly about a first fold line 2 in FIG. 1 so that a base surface is provided on which rests directly a primary item 4 to be packaged, here a book. Whereas the width b of the base surface 3 is adjusted to the width of the item 4 to be packaged, the length L corresponds to the length of the item 4 to be packaged. Two Z-shaped flaps 5 can in this manner be fastened to the base surface 3 on both sides of the item 4 to be packaged. In each case, one of the flat surfaces 6 of the Z-shaped flaps 5 is adhered to the base surface 3 and its respectively other flat surface 8, connected through a web 7 to the flat surface 6, extends over the item 4 to be packaged so far that the respective flat surfaces overlap one another at the respective distal edges thereof to form a first overlapped section 9 whereat the distal edges can be glued to one another.

[0013] The packaging construction becomes thereby extremely robust when the mutually adjacent edges 10 of each of the flat surfaces 6 and the edges 11 of the base surface 3 are flush with one another so that the wall thickness d of the packaging construction is strongly reinforced at the especially vulnerable outer edges 12.

[0014] The blank 1 has furthermore a side flap 14 and a conventional cover flap 13 which are an integral part of the blank 1 and connected through the fold line 2 to the base surface 3. The cover flap, 13 has additional side flaps 14 at the remaining three sides of the cover flap 13, each foldable at the indicated second fold lines 15. Additional foldable flaps 16 are provided at the outboard edges of the additional flaps 14, each additional foldable flap 16 being foldable about additional fold lines 19. These additional flaps 16 can be glued to the base 3 or stuck into receptacles (not shown) provided on the base 3. Some open space 17 remains thereby adjacent to the side of the item 4 to be packaged remote from the base surface 3, in which space any desired inserts 18 can be housed.

[0015] Because of the particularly stiff and deformation-resistant construction of the casing for the primary item 4 to be packaged, it is possible for such inserts 18 to be removed or not even be inserted right from the start without causing damage to occur to the primary item 4 during transport. List of Reference Numerals  1 Blank  2 (first) fold line  3 base surface  4 item to be packaged  5 flap  6 flat surface  7 web  8 flat surface  9 overlapped section 10 edge (of the flat surface) 11 edge (of the base surface) 12 outer edge 13 cover flap 14 side flap iS (second) fold line 16 additional foldable flaps 17 open space 18 insert 19 additional fold lines b width L length d thickness 

I claim:
 1. A packaging construction, in particular a folded box, punched-out of a blank for one or more primary items to be packaged and one or more secondary, optional inserts for this item to be packaged, whereby the packaging construction includes a cover and side flaps folded from a base surface, wherein flaps, which overlap one another, envelop the item to be packaged and form a packaging apace, are fastened to the base surface, and at least one open space is provided for the insert between the packaging space and the cover and side flaps.
 2. The packaging construction according to claim 1, wherein the flaps in each case are of a Z-shape and consist of a web, which is perpendicular with respect to the base surface, and two flat surfaces, the one flat surface being fastened to the base surface and the other flat surface overlapping the corresponding flat surface of the respective other flap.
 3. The packaging construction according to claim 1, wherein the flaps are connected, for example are glued, to the base surface and/or at the flat surfaces to form an overlapped section when they overlap one another.
 4. The packaging construction according to claim 2, wherein the edges of the flat surfaces resting on the base surface are flush with each of the edges of the base surface.
 5. The packaging construction according to claim 1, wherein the cover and/or side flaps terminate in additional foldable segments which are fastened, preferably glued, to the base surface.
 6. The packaging construction according to claim 1, wherein the open space is of a flat square-shape. 